For some, hiking is its own reward. The crunch of the dirt, the crisp, clean air and the cry of a hawk make the experience worthwhile. For others, the scenery is the real payoff. You can experience the great outdoors - minus blisters and aching feet - with Afoot and Afield in San Diego.

Take a virtual tour of three of San Diego’s most spectacular hiking destinations in the Anza-BorregoDesertState Park - Canyon Sin Nombre, Mountain Palm Springs, and CulpValley. While exploring the simple beauty of this arid portion of the county, hosts Jerry Schad and Jessica Yellin discover a variety of landscapes and see how water changes the face of the desert. Not only does water carve out intricate rock formations, it also provides sustenance for the desert’s varied vegetation. From a palm tree oasis to the brittle sagebrush, the hardy desert plants have a number of techniques to weather the extreme heat.

Afoot and Afield in San Diego is based on the book, Afoot and Afield in San Diego County by Jerry Schad.